SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER ARRESTED ON MARIJUANA CHARGE

Another Houston ISD teacher was arrested today on suspicion of
marijuana possession as part of the school district's ongoing searches
of employee parking lots.

The employee, whose name was not released, is a teaching assistant in
the special education department at Harper Alternative School.

The employee is at least the third arrested since HISD Superintendent
Abelardo Saavedra announced last week that the district planned to
send drug-sniffing dogs to all employee parking lots in coming weeks.

Saavedra's decision came after about 15 employees had been arrested
after police said they had marijuana or prescription drugs in their
cars at school. Most of the early arrests were prompted by anonymous
tips to Houston Independent School District police.

On Thursday, two employees were arrested on marijuana possession
charges after police swept the parking lot at HISD's central
administration building.

Searches of 14 schools on Friday resulted in no arrests.